Eskridge Auto Free Ride: Finalist Brooklyn Clines would use scholarship, car to help ailing father

Eskridge Auto Free Ride: Finalist Brooklyn Clines would use scholarship, car to help ailing father

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Updated: 9:18 PM CDT Apr 26, 2017

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WEBVTT PAUL: FIVE LOCAL STUDENTS AREVYING FOR A FREE CAR AND UP TOCOLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP.$25,000 THEY'RE OUR ESKRIDGEAUTO FREE RIDE FINALISTS.ONE OF THE STUDENTS WESURPRISED, BROOKLYN CLINES.JESSICA: TONIGHT, WE'INTRODUCING YOU TO THE 'PUTNAMCITY WEST' SENIOR, WHO SAYS HERMOTHER ABANDONED HER AND NOW,HER FATHER FACES A DEADLYDISEASE.>> WHEN YOUR MOM SAYS I HATE YTO YOUR FACE, IT GETS HARD.JESSICA: BROOKLYN CLINES HAD TOGROW UP FAST.>> AT ONE POINT SHE SAID I CAN'THAVE A KID IN THE HOUSE.I NEED TO TO GET OUT.IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FEEL ANYSENSE OF LOVE OR BELONGING WHENYOUR MOTHER DOESN'T EVEN WANTYOU.JESSICA: SHE WAS 13 WHEN SHEMOVED IN WITH HER FATHER.HE GAVE ME STABILITY.HE GAVE ME STRUCTURE IN MY LIFE.JESSICA: BROOKLYN SAYS THROUGHHIS LOVE, THE INSECURITIES OFHER YOUNGER YEARS DISAPPEAREAND SHE GREW INTO A CONFIDENTYOUNG WOMAN, AN HONOR STUDENT,WHO LOVES THEATRE, AND WANTS TOBE A DERMATOLOGIST TO HELP KIDSWITH SKIN CONDITIONS.HER HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR YEAR, HERFAMILY WAS HIT WITH ANOTHETOUGH BLOW.MY DAD IS MY BIGGEST ROCK.THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN MYLIFE HANDS DOWN.JESSICA: THAT ROUTE, HER BESTFRIEND DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER.,>> IT'S HARD.LITERALLY IT'S JUST HARD.IT'S HARD TO WAKE UP AND IT'SHARD TO NOT WORRY AND IT'S HARDTO GO THROUGH SCHOOL AND NOTTHINK ABOUT HOW'S DAD DOINGTODAY BECAUSE HE THREW UP AT 3AMLAST NIGHT?JESSICA: BROOKLYN HAS MORE THANMANAGED KEEPING HER GRADES UPAND A BRAVE FACE.>> IF I GET THIS MONEY AND I GETTHIS CAR I CAN PUT IT TO EVERYGOOD USE IN THE NAME OF MY D.I LO HIM, AND IF IT WASN'T FORHIM, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.JESSICA: A GREAT GIRL.VERY WELL SPOKEN.BEEN THROUGH AN AWFUL LOT IN ASHORT TIME.SHE WANTS TO CONTINUE TO MAKEHER DAD AND STEPMOM PROUD.

Eskridge Auto Free Ride: Finalist Brooklyn Clines would use scholarship, car to help ailing father

Putnam City West High School senior Brooklyn Clines, one of the five Eskridge Auto Free Ride finalists, said her mother abandoned her and her father now faces a deadly disease.

"When your mom says, 'I hate you' to your face, it gets hard," she said.Clines has had to grow up fast.

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"At one point she said, 'I can't have a kid in the house. I need you to get out,'" she said. "It's very difficult to feel any sense of love or belonging when your mother doesn't even want you."

Clines moved in with her father when she was 13.

"He gave me stability. He gave me structure in my life," she said.

Through his love, the insecurities of Clines' younger years have disappeared. And she grew into a confident young woman, an honor student who loves theater.

She wants to be a dermatologist to help children with skin conditions.

But during her senior year of high school, Clines' family was hit with another tough blow.

"My dad is my biggest rock," she said. "The most important person in my life, hands down."

That rock, her best friend, was diagnosed with cancer.

"It's hard. Literally, it's just hard," she said. "It's hard to wake up and it's hard to not worry. And it's hard to go through school and not think about, 'How's dad doing today because he threw up at 3 a.m. last night?'"

Clines has more than managed. She has kept her grades up with a brave face.

"If I get this money and I get this car, I can put it to every good use in the name of my dad," she said. "I love him, and if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Clines just wants to continue to make her father and stepmother proud. She has already won at least a $5,000 scholarship.

Next month, KOCO 5 will announce which of the five finalists will get a free ride and up to a $25,000 college scholarship.